A United Airlines flight struck a coyote while attempting to take off from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport over the weekend, the airline confirmed Tuesday.

According to United, Flight 1727 was forced to return to the airport Sunday after its landing gear struck a coyote during takeoff.

The plane, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 carrying 167 passengers and six crew members, was removed for examination after the incident.

“We arranged for another plane to take our customers to their destination later that afternoon,” United told NBC Chicago in a statement.

It’s one of a string of incidents involving coyotes in Chicago this week.

On Monday, viral video captured the moment a coyote was pulled out from behind a shelf in a Humboldt Park Aldi store.

Experts noted that January through March is coyote mating season, “which often leads to increased activity and sightings as they search for mates and establish territories.”

“While coyotes are generally not a threat to humans, it’s always best to avoid interaction and for people to secure food sources to minimize encounters,” animal control stated.

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